2023 Eastern Hancock Teacher of the Year Jennifer Gaylord, a math teacher.
Tom Russo | Daily Reporter
CHARLOTTESVILLE — It’s true. Jennifer Gaylord loves math. Yes, she’s the one. But, more than making sure things add up properly, her biggest thrill is being a good teacher, reaching students and helping them tackle a hard subject.
Those are some of the many reasons Gaylord was selected by the Eastern Hancock administrative team as the Eastern Hancock Teacher of the Year. Gaylord is in her 17th year of education at EH and has taught students for 23 years after graduating from Ball State University and also earning her master’s degree.
She said it was quite the surprise to learn she was the one selected from the numerous great teachers in the district as the Teacher of the Year.
“I was very surprised and am very humbled,” Gaylord said. “While I do love math, I consider myself a teacher first — one who loves math second. So, I’m not a math person who likes to teach, but rather I’m a teacher who likes math.”
While math is not the first subject most students in high school would put at the top of their favorite study list, Gaylord likes to make the classroom, where she teachers Algebra I and II along with finite and statistics to advanced eighth graders through seniors, a positive place.
“I’ve always felt as a teacher you have to always do what is best for kids,” Gaylord said. “One of the things students have told me in the past they appreciate is when I’m doing lectures or teaching something that could be considered boring is I use a lot of colorful and easy-to-read notes and I try to pick apart all of the hard parts and teach the firm foundations.”
Tasked with the choice of going into education or medicine several years ago, Gaylord made the decision teaching would be her life’s work and she’s never looked back.
“I asked my parents when I was younger, ‘What should I do,’ and they said, ‘Do what you love and you will be successful,’ and so I chose to go into education,” Gaylord said.
While Gaylord has had the opportunity to teach in other districts, she loves the atmosphere at Eastern Hancock, the family feel and the chance to work closely with students to make a difference in their lives.
“I’ve always felt very supported working here, so why would I ever want to leave?” Gaylord said.
Unlike larger school districts where officials nominate several different building Teachers of the Year and then select one Teacher of the Year for the whole district, EH gathers nominations from people at their elementary, middle and high schools, including students. Then the district’s administrative team selects the top teacher from the many nominations.
“We have so many incredible teachers at Eastern Hancock, and it’s amazing to be in a place where a decision like this, selecting just one teacher, is really hard because we did have so many awesome people nominated, but Jennie stood out,” Superintendent George Philhower said. “She is just a fabulous teacher and we are so lucky to have her here at Eastern Hancock.”
Philhower said that when kids struggle in school, math is often the subject that trips students up, and having a math teacher who really cares about each student understanding the subject is fantastic.
“To have a math teacher nominated as a ‘Teacher of Year’ is pretty spectacular because math is that hard subject, the one most of us don’t look back on with fond memories of, so that says a lot about Jennie,” Philhower said.
Gaylord is proud of her students, who she said don’t fuss or mind coming into math class.
“I think it’s because the students know I do really care about them and how they are doing, not only in my class, but in life,” Gaylord said. “If things are not going well for a student outside of the classroom, that is going to play a factor into how they perform in the classroom.”
Beyond math, Gaylord really cares about the mental health of her students and says it’s one of her many passions.
“While I don’t teach mental health, as an educator, I know it plays a big role, and some of my students may have nominated me because they know I am someone they can go to because, for me, I don’t think we can really teach the students well unless they feel really safe enough to make mistakes in the classroom and feel safe enough or comfortable enough to try and tackle harder math subjects,” Gaylord said.
